Aikyou
by danceofflame7
Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, badtempered blonde…
1. Chapter 1

**Aikyou**

Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, bad-tempered blonde…

Disclaimer: Not mine. _Gravitation_ belongs to Maki Murakami.

"**bold" – **English

"normal" – Japanese

"_italic_" – lyrics

_Chapter One_

"Ryuichi, you just got back to Japan this afternoon. How would you know any of the local bands, much less how good they are?"

Ryuichi Sakuma beamed at his long-time friend and ex-band mate Tohma Seguchi, his stuffed bunny cradled to his chest. "I'm not telling, na no da!"

Tohma rolled his eyes in exasperation. Sometimes dealing with the child-like man could be frustrating enough to make him want to jump off of a bridge. Ryuichi Sakuma had just returned to Japan after spending four years in Los Angeles working on his solo career. He and the thirty-one year old singer were going out to catch up, along with K, Ryuichi's manager, and Eiri Yuki (due to hours of cajoling and blackmail on Seguchi's part). They were just about to go to The Jasmine Room, a favorite bar of Tohma and Ryuichi's, when the singer suddenly announced that he wanted to go see a local band at The Scarlet Lounge that he knew was very good.

"Why don't we just continue to the Jasmine Room, and you can catch this band of yours another time…"

"No!" Ryuichi said stubbornly, shaking his head for emphasis. "I want you to see this band. They are good friends of mine, na no da, and I know you'd like them, Tohma! Please?" The brown-haired man looked upon his friend with watery puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh, fine," Seguchi sighed, unable to resist Ryuichi's puppy-dog expression.

"Yay!" Ryuichi cheered. K just smirked and looked out the window, knowing that Ryuichi always got what he wanted one way or another. The seemingly innocent and slow man was actually quite intelligent and cunning.

"Remind me why I'm coming along on this little adventure? Especially with nutcase over there?" Yuki grumbled.

"Because you need to get out more. And you want to spend time with your loving brother-in-law," Seguchi told the light-haired man sweetly.

"And hell is an ice-skating rink."

"You know, Mika still wants those baby pictures of you after the ones at your father's house have mysteriously disappeared…"

"I get it, I get it," Yuki said hastily. "Jesus, your incessant meddling is going to send me to an early grave, you know that?" Tohma merely gave him an angelic little smile and said nothing.

"Cheer up, Yuki!" Ryuichi told the novelist brightly. "You'll like this band, I promise! They're called Bad Luck…"

"Hiro, remind me again why we're doing this!" Shuichi asked his best friend, his voice high-pitched and panicky.

"Because we wanted to get signed to a Japanese recording label before launching our career in the U.S., like Ryuichi Sakuma did." Hiroshi Nakano told his best friend patiently. "Now let me tune my guitar."

Shuichi chewed his lip worriedly. He and Hiro had formed Bad Luck back in Los Angeles, almost five years ago. That was where he had met Ryuichi, his idol. Shuichi had almost died of pure bliss when Nittle Grasper's vocalist had offered to give him lessons in voice control because the pink-haired boy had "potential". Now he, Hiro, and Yoshiki Kitazawa, their keyboardist, had returned to Japan because they had all decided that they wanted to start their musical career in their native country. Unfortunately, Shuichi had underestimated the nervousness he would feel at being on stage in what he had always considered to be home, despite spending most of his life in America.

"**Shuichi, don't stress so much,**" Hiro told his best friend affectionately after noticing that the pink-haired singer was chewing his lower lip so hard he nearly drew blood. "**We've performed on stage before. Not to mention, if you can't do this, how do you expect to become a famous rock star?**" Shuichi mulled over Hiro's words for a second, then nodded.

"**You're right,**" Shuichi conceded, flashing a smile at Hiro that nearly stopped his heart. A long time ago he had wanted to be Shuichi's lover, and even though he had gotten over those feelings, there were still times where he found his best friend almost painfully attractive.

"I'm always right, baka," Hiro smirked, drawing an indignant noise from the younger boy. "Ow!" He exclaimed as something hit him in the side of the head.

"I know my hair tie did not hurt you," Shuichi sad dryly. His silky strawberry-colored hair fell just short of his shoulders, relieved of the stretchy ring of fabric that now lay innocuously at the feet of the long-haired guitarist.

"It's the principle of the thing," Hiro said, glaring at his best friend.

"Hey guys," Yoshiki interrupted. "Stop fooling around. We're on in five minutes. How do I look?" She twirled around, showing off her hot pink top that left her shoulder and midriff bare, showing the back straps of her sports bra underneath. She also wore skintight black pant that ended just below her knees and lace up black sandals.

"Amazing!" Shuichi commented. "What about me?" he demanded, gesturing to his own clothes. The small teenager wore a long-sleeved fishnet shirt underneath a tiny black tank top, tiny black shorts and knee high leather boots. The outfit complimented his slim, almost girlish build nicely.

"Anyone else would look ridiculous, but you pull it off nicely," the male transvestite told him with a smile.

"Now that you're done boosting each other's egos…" Hiro broke in, grinning. Shuichi attacked him, throwing his arms around the taller boy's neck.

"Oh, but you look wonderful too, Hiiiiiro!" the pinkhaired singer exclaimed.

"Get off of me!" Hiro said laughing. "**Let's get this show on the road.**"

_So how do you like it? r/r, pretty please…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Aikyou**

Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, bad-tempered blonde…

Disclaimer: Not mine. _Gravitation_ belongs to Maki Murakami.

"**bold" – **English

"normal" – Japanese

"_italic_" – lyrics

_Chapter Two_

"You know, I don't think I've ever been here before," Seguchi said thoughtfully as they entered the dark, smoky club.

"Me neither, na no da!" Ryuichi said happily, observing everything with great interest. A few people turned and stared at the man in sunglasses and a baseball cap bouncing happily, having been startled by his loud comment.

"Ryuichi, you're traveling incognito. That means keeping a _low profile,_" Seguchi hissed.

"I don't think he could keep a low profile if he tried," Yuki snorted. Ryuichi's eyes were hidden, but his mouth began to tremble in a telltale way.

"Why are you so _mean?_" the vocalist wailed. Seguchi sighed as more people craned their heads around to observe the small group.

"My point exactly," Yuki smirked. The smirk fell from his face as he saw the gun pointed at his temple, and the vicious smile on the so far silent American's face.

"Eiri-san, shut up. K-san, put the gun away. Ryuichi, stop crying, please. You wanted to come here so badly to see this band, now we're here and they're about to go on. You don't want to miss anything, do you?" Seguchi pointed out. Ryuichi brightened immediately, and K slid the gun back beneath his jacket.

"You're insane," Yuki muttered, eyeing the blonde American with distaste.

"Should you really insult someone who's packing heat?" K said mildly, his eyes glittering with amusement and something that made Yuki keep his mouth shut.

"You're right!" Ryuichi exclaimed. "Come on, I want to sit close to the stage…" the brown-haired man tugged N-G's producer after him as he moved closer to the stage. Just as the four men were sitting down, the club went totally dark. A spotlight shone on a man in his thirties with black hair and a long sleeved black shirt, standing with a microphone in hand. _He must be the owner,_ both Yuki and Seguchi thought to themselves.

"For your pleasure tonight, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Los Angeles, I give you BAD LUCK!" he announced before the entire stage lit up to reveal three people behind him.

The music started low, thrumming, from the pretty light haired girl on the synthesizer. It moved deep inside you, in places that would make the more innocent blush and squirm. The guitar soon joined in with a lighter but stronger melody, causing feet to tap almost involuntarily to the beat and fingers to tap against their will. Then the beautiful pink-haired angel before the microphone began to sing.

The audience was enraptured as the voice moved like some honey liquor inside of them, spreading warmth from the inside out. The boy's voice lifted then dipped, going unimaginably sultry before rising into a crescendo of raw sound. Seguchi had to struggle to keep his mouth closed. It had been a long time since he'd been so impressed with an artist. The question is…

_Who is he?_

The question flitted through his mind as Yuki stared at the beautiful creature before him, watching that body move sinuously as that sinful voice continued to pour from that smooth, pale throat and over those full, crimson lips. It had been a long time since he'd wanted someone so badly at first sight, but there was no denying that he wanted this man. He felt himself stir as he looked at those half-lidded violet eyes. _What was happening to him?_ Yuki wondered as he felt the strong, unmistakable feelings of desire uncoil in the pits of his belly.

_He's just as good as Ryuichi, if not better,_ Seguchi mused. While their skill was comparable, their style wasn't. Where Ryuichi's voice crashed over you in waves of skillfully controlled energetic sound, this man's voice slipped inside of you and made you a part of it. With Ryuichi you were the beach under the waves, with this pink-haired vocalist you were the waves. _I have to get them to sign to N-G,_ Seguchi decided. He snuck a peek at Ryuichi, who was nodding encouragingly at the boy on stage, a proud smile on his face. _From Los Angeles, hmm? Ryuichi has some explaining to do…_

The audience roared with approval as the song came to an end. The vocalist blushed (_adorably,_ Yuki thought) and spoke into the micro phone.

"Thank you! That was Hypnotic Seduction. This next song is called Rage Beat," the boy said, sounding somewhat nervous. Yuki felt his mouth twitch into a smile. Not a smirk, or sneer, but a true smile. Seguchi caught it out of the corner of his eye and turned to stare. Following his brother-in-law's line of sight he smirked and leaned over to whisper in Yuki's ear.

"Like what you see?" Yuki jumped slightly and glared at the blonde.

"None of your business," he growled as Seguchi's laugh. He was about to reply when the music started again. This time it was fast, although no less insidious. The effect was less erotic and more energetic, as if encouraging the audience to dance. Some of the audience did get up and start dancing to the techno music, Ryuichi included. K watched out Ryuichi, and Yuki and Tohma watched the younger singer. When the song was over, Ryuichi collapsed back into his seat, grinning happily and clutching the stuffed rabbit that was beginning to look a little worse for wear.

"Aren't they good, na no da! Ryuichi said they would be!" the older singer exclaimed proudly.

"That you did," Seguchi murmured. "Ryuichi, are you close to them?"

"Yes," the child-like man said replied, puzzled. "I'm good friends with Shu-chan and Hiro."

"Shuichi's the vocalist and Hiro's the guitarist," K clarified.

"This is our last song," Shuichi announced after K's words. The audience groaned in disappointment and the pink-haired vocalist beamed. Yuki's heart skipped a beat at that smile. "You guys have been great! Our last song is called Full of Empty."

The four kept silent as the song's heartbreakingly lovely melody started. Shuichi's vocals were almost unearthly in their expression of sorrow in this last song. Ryuichi was crying unashamedly and even the cold-hearted Yuki felt a prickling in his eyes.

"_Like the cold wind cuts through me_

_Your neglect cuts through my heart_

_And even though I know you don't love me_

_A part of me still craves those words_," Shuichi sang, his eyes closed. This particular song was very personal, and he was afraid that if he opened his eyes, he wouldn't be able to keep the tears from falling.

"_Even though you don't want me_

_You'll always be in my heart._" The last note died away from Shuichi's lips into silence. Almost half of the audience was crying. The applause started slowly, but it steadily grew until it thundered through the club. Shuichi blushed again.

"Thank you! We're Bad Luck! Good night!" The three left backstage, and Ryuichi hopped out of his seat.

"I'm going to go congratulate them!"

_That was a little tricky… I don't know much Japanese, so I'm sorry that I only put down the lyrics for one of the songs and that they were in English. But the lyrics for that particular song are sort of important to Shuichi's background…_

_r/r please! My experience with writing fanfiction is quite limited, so I'd appreciate some feedback on how I'm doing. Thanks to Ashley for editing _Aikyou_ for cultural errors!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Aikyou**

Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, bad-tempered blonde…

Disclaimer: Not mine. _Gravitation_ belongs to Maki Murakami.

"**bold" – **English

"normal" – Japanese

"_italic_" – lyrics

_Chapter Three_

Shuichi collapsed in a chair backstage. He had kept himself from shaking out there from pure will alone, and had put his all into his voice. He'd given it the best that he could, and believed that they had done pretty well from the audience's reaction.

"That was awesome!" Yoshiki punched the air in her excitement.

"It really was," Hiro agreed a wide smile on his face. The adrenaline, the cheers of the crowd, the blending of his guitar, Yoshi's keyboard, and Shuichi's voice out there had been amazing. There wasn't anything like it. "You were amazing, Shu-chan."

Having managed to calm down, Shuichi stood and threw his arms around his band mates.

"Thank you!" Shuichi said with flushed cheeks as he pulled away. "That was the most awesome experience in my life… you guys rocked!" They all looked at each other and laughed, giddy from the adrenaline of their performance.

"Shu-chan?" a voice called from the hallway outside. Shuichi's eyes lit up as he recognized that voice. He threw the door open to reveal his mentor and friend, Ryuichi Sakuma.

"RYU-KUN!" Shuichi exclaimed and jumped on the shorter man, wrapping his legs around his waist and squeezing the life out of him in a hug. He didn't even notice the three guys come up behind the other singer.

"Shu… chan…" Ryuichi gasped. "Can't… breathe…" Shuichi hopped off of him, beet red.

"Sorry, Ryu-kun," Shuichi apologized. "It's just that I'm so excited! It was amazing out there!" Having regained his normal breathing pattern, Ryuichi beamed at the younger vocalist.

"You were amazing out there! The last song was so sad I started crying…" Ryuichi's eyes teared up again at the memory.

"I'm sorry," Shuichi said, his eyes tearing up as well. "I didn't mean to make you cry…"

Seguchi stared at the two singers crying on each other's shoulders in something akin to horror and disbelief.

"They're like twins, aren't they?" an amused, composed voice said from behind the two sobbing singers. A tall young man with long auburn hair and handsome features stepped around the two vocalists and made a quick bow. "I'm Nakano Hiroshi."

"Seguchi Tohma," the blonde replied, shaken out of his daze. Hiroshi's eyes widened, and then narrowed, before relaxing into a smile.

"Nice to meet you."

"Are they always like this?" Seguchi enquired curiously as Ryuichi and Shuichi continued to cry.

"Sometimes. Ryuichi usually is, as you know," Hiro said, studying N-G's president. "But Shuichi only is sometimes. I guess he's still hyped up from the performance. He also gets like this after eating strawberry pocky, too," he added, grinning wryly. "It happens to be his favorite food."

"Nakano-san," an accented voice greeted from behind Seguchi. "**Long time no see.**"

"**It's only been two days,**" Hiro retorted. "**And I think we've known each other long enough that you can call me by my first name, K.**" The blonde man grinned before drawing the younger man into a hug.

"And you are?" Hiro asked, turning to the third man. The light-haired man surveyed the guitarist with cold brown eyes.

"Yuki Eiri," he said finally, and shortly. Recognition flashed in Hiro's eyes for a minute before he nodded curtly, just as rude as Yuki had been.

"Shuichi," Hiro called, turning his attention from the three. "Stop crying. You too, Ryuichi-san."

"O - okay, Hiro," Shuichi sniffled, straightening and dashing tears from his violet eyes. Ryuichi did the same.

"Hiro, na no da! I didn't see you! How are you? You were really good!" Ryuichi chattered, bounding over to Shuichi's best friend. Hiro laughed before replying to the older singer's question.

"Hello, I'm Seguchi Tohma," the shorter blonde said to the pink-haired vocalist, making a shirt formal bow. Shuichi's eyes widened until the resembled miniature saucers.

"The Tohma Seguchi?" Shuichi whispered in awe. The other man chuckled and nodded. Shuichi stood in a daze for a second before bowing respectfully.

"I'm Shindou Shuchi! It's a pleasure to meet you sir," the boy said excitedly. Seguchi laughed, thinking privately, _it's a little scary how alike they are_.

"And I'm Kitazawa Yoshiki," a female voice piped up from behind Shuichi as their keyboardist joined them. She tilted her head as Tohma's eyes widened at the sight of her, and at the pale face of the light-haired man leaning against the wall near K-san. "You," she said, pointing at Yuki. "I know you. Uesugi Eiri, right? Here, let's go have a chat, shall we?"

"Huh?" Shuichi said, expressing his confusion as his keyboardist walked off with a seemingly random stranger.

"They're… old acquaintances," Seguchi explained vaguely. "From New York. But that's not important right now. How would you like Bad Luck to work with N-G Productions?"

Shuichi's jaw dropped, and his eyes lit up.

"You're… you're serious?"

"Perfectly."

"We'd love to!" Shuichi told the N-G company president excitedly, not even needing to discuss it with Bad Luck's other band members. This was the opportunity that they had been waiting for, after all.

"Wonderful," Seguchi said, smiling at the younger man. "Come by my office around noon tomorrow with your band mates, okay?"

"Of course, no problem!" Shuichi said, stars in his eyes.

"I'll tell Yoshi, Shu-chan," Hiro told him, having been listening to their conversation after Yoshi and Yuki had walked off together. "But it's already nine o'clock."

"Damn! I'm late! I'll call you at ten tomorrow, Hiro! Okay?"

"Sure thing. Don't forget to change!" The pink-haired man began to curse as he dashed backstage once more to collect his things and hurriedly change. He dashed out in dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a dark grey long sleeved button up shirt over it. His shoes were in his hand and a large backpack was slung over his shoulder.

"Bye Ryu-chan, Hiro, and K-san! Nice meeting you Seguchi-san!" Shuichi called over his shoulder as he dashed down the hallway towards the exit.

"Good luck!" Hiro called after him.

"Where is he going?" Seguchi said, a little shocked at Shuichi's amazingly swift departure. Hiro's eyes darkened and Ryuichi's normally cheerful face became serious at the guitarist's reply.

"His parents' house."

_I'm sure you're wondering why Yuki and Shuichi haven't really met yet, even though they were both there… Shu was busy, and Yoshi is very important to Yuki's past and since Shuichi and Yuki don't really know each other yet, Yoshi takes precedent. I promise they'll meet soon though! _

_I'm not too impressed with this chapter, but tell me what you think! Thanks to Ashley for editing _Aikyou_ for cultural errors!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Aikyou**

Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, bad-tempered blonde…

Disclaimer: Not mine. _Gravitation_ belongs to Maki Murakami.

"**bold" – **English

"normal" – Japanese

"_italic_" – lyrics

_Chapter Four_

Yuki leaned against the brick wall in the mouth of the alley next to The Scarlet Lounge and watched the pretty young woman before him watch him in return.

"Your last name," he said suddenly. "Are you by any chance related to –"

"Kitazawa Yuki was my brother." Yuki took a sharp breath and turned from her, his eyes far off and his expression closed. Guilt and self-hatred ran through him stronger than ever before.

"I suppose you want revenge," Yuki said hollowly. His words sounded to him as if they were coming from someone else.

"Not at all," Yoshiki replied, sounding almost cheerful. Yuki turned to stare at her in surprise. Then his eyes narrowed.

"You know, I knew he had a younger brother, but I didn't know he had a sister…" Yoshi beamed at the stony-faced novelist.

"That's because I used to be a boy!" she explained. Yuki stared at her, in complete and total shock. _What the hell!_ "When I was about fourteen or fifteen, I just woke up one day and decided I wanted to be a girl!"

"You're – you're a transvestite!" Yuki said, sounding half-strangled.

"Yup!"

"And Yu – Kitazawa Yuki was your brother," he repeated, rapidly overcoming his shock.

"Yup!"

"And you don't care that I killed him," he said harshly. Yoshi's face suddenly because serious.

"At first I wanted to blame you. But I spent time finding out the whole story, and what you did… well, anyone would've done the same in your situation. Even me. So how can I blame you for that? If I want to blame anybody, I blame Yuki." Eiri stayed quiet for a few moments, memories playing out before his eyes, making his breath come a little quicker and his heart rate speed up. He was jerked out of his reminiscing when he suddenly found himself with an armful of Yoshi.

"I forgive you, Eiri-san. The only person blaming you is yourself," she murmured before letting him go and walking back inside.

_I need… I need to go for a walk_, Yuki thought to himself, now more confused than ever.

YSY

It had been fourteen years since Shuichi was last in Japan, and so he had a little difficulty figuring out how to take the train to his parents' house. Thankfully Aunt Megumi, who had raised him, had made sure that he didn't forget spoken Japanese and made sure he learned how to write it. He studied the maps and then got on the right train, nervousness and worry clouding his mind.

His parents hadn't wanted him. He understood that much. They had never called, never wrote, nothing. His Aunt Megumi had never explained why, telling him that it was something that his parents would need to tell him themselves, but there was only so much that could force parents to cut themselves off from a small child completely, and he could only believe that it had been his fault.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of a house that looked well-kept and normal. Shuichi's heart rate sped up, and his palms began to sweat. _This is it_. He checked the mailbox, and sure enough it was labeled Shindou. Screwing up his courage, he walked up to the front door and knocked. _Maybe they're asleep,_ he thought to himself as there was no answer for several long moments. But suddenly the door opened.

"Hello?" A woman with violet eyes and graying brown hair asked, not recognizing her own son standing before her. Shuichi swallowed, then gave a little smile.

"It's me mom. It's me, Shuichi."

The quicksilver change in expression would have been almost comic if it weren't for the circumstances. Her brows snapped together and her mouth became pressed into a thin hard line.

"Aya-chan? Who's at the door?" A man with pitch black hair and light brown eyes came to the door. _I don't look anything like him,_ Shuichi noted dimly.

"I'm Shuichi. Your son," he repeated quietly. Shindou-san's expression resembled his wife's but with more anger.

"You're no son of mine. What, didn't your mother's sister tell you?" Shindou-san said mockingly. "You're a bastard. The son of my wife and her _lover_," he spat, and Shuichi's mother flinched. "I took her back, but _you_ will never set foot in my home." He turned around sharply and walked away from the pink-haired boy, who stood there stunned.

"Please, don't come back," Aya-san warned before closing the door softly. Shuichi stood still for a long time, staring at the childhood he never had, at the home of the parents… or parent who never loved him. As he turned around to leave, the door opened a little once more.

"So you're my brother?" a soft voice came out from behind him. He turned in surprise to see the head of a girl of about fifteen through a small opening in the doorway.

"Who are you?" he asked, but he already knew. _So my mother could have and love a child, just not me…_ he thought sadly.

"My name is Maiko. I'm fifteen," she said shyly. "What's your name? Where did you live for so long?"

"Shuichi," he said softly. "I'm nineteen and I lived with Aunt Megumi."

"Really?" she breathed, excitement plain in her voice and sparkling eyes. "In Los Angeles?"

"Yeah," he replied, smiling at her girlish excitement.

"That's so _cool!_"

"Maiko!" came a call from inside. Her smile faded.

"I've got to go. It was nice meeting you," Maiko told him before closing the door.

"You too," he whispered to the closed door.

Shuichi turned and walked out of the yard, and back to the station. His mind and heart were numb and blank all the way back to the station he had boarded the train to begin with. When he found himself standing in front of the Scarlet Lounge, he shook his head to clear himself from his daze. _I can't go find Hiro or Ryu or Yoshi,_ Shuichi thought to himself. _I can't impose on them._

He figured he'd get his aunt to wire him some money in the morning. With a sigh he walked to a nearby park and curled himself around his backpack on a bench. _It's not that cold,_ he tried to convince himself before falling asleep.

SYS

_r/r, tell me what you think! I swear I'll have Yuki and Shuichi meet in the next chapter… Again thank you to Ashley for editing _Aikyou_ for cultural errors._


	5. Chapter 5

**Aikyou**

Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou, unwanted by his parents, was raised in America. Now nineteen he returns with Bad Luck to Japan where he meets a gorgeous, bad-tempered blonde…

Disclaimer: Not mine. _Gravitation_ belongs to Maki Murakami.

"**bold" – **English

"normal" – Japanese

"_italic_" – lyrics

_Chapter Five_

_Is it an earthquake?_ Was Shuichi's first thought as he tried to figure out why the bed was shaking. Hold on; the bed wasn't shaking, someone was shaking him! He curled up tighter, tucking his head under his arm. The shaking just got rougher.

"**Five more minutes, Auntie Meg,**" Shuichi murmured, wanting desperately to be allowed to go back to sleep.

"I'm not your 'auntie' anything," a definitely male voice snapped irritably. Shuichi suddenly remembered that he wasn't in LA, but in Japan, and he wasn't on a strangely hard bed but a bench in a public park because his parents… he sat up abruptly. Unfortunately, the man shaking him was still crouched over Shuichi, so the pink-haired man knocked the other man in the nose with his forehead.

"Shit!" the stranger cursed in pain.

"Ow," Shuichi muttered, rubbing his forehead. He turned to see who he had accidentally head-butted, wondering why it was still dark outside. The man had light brown hair with even lighter streaks running through it, making him look foreign. He was tall, with handsome features, a generous mouth, and cool brown eyes. Shuichi found himself wondering what his body looked like under the man's leather jacket and dark jeans… he stuffed that thought to the back of his mind with a fierce blush.

"Sorry about that," he apologized sheepishly. "Aren't you the guy who went to have a talk with Yoshi?"

"Yeah. Why the hell are you asleep on a park bench?" The man asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose gingerly.

"It's a long story," Shuichi muttered, not wanting to share his woes with the handsome stranger before him.

"Must be one hell of a story that you couldn't go get a hotel room," the foreign-looking man commented with a smirk.

"I don't have any money," Shuichi explained with flushed cheeks, embarrassed. The other man's expression softened minutely.

"I'm Yuki Eiri," the novelist introduced himself.

"Shindou Shuichi," the pink-haired vocalist replied softly, kneeling on the bench so that his feet sat splayed to either side of him and looking up at the other man through his long pink bangs. Yuki felt the familiar stirring of desire for the singer as he gently brushed a lock of strawberry-colored hair out of big violet eyes, watching the light blush spread across the other man's cheeks.

The novelist straightened abruptly. _I find out he's basically homeless and what do I do? I flirt,_ he scolded himself. Now wasn't the place or time.

"You can stay at my place tonight," Yuki said firmly. The singer began to shake his head emphatically.

"N-No! I couldn't! It would be an imposition on you, and you just met me…"

"It's not an imposition. If it was I wouldn't have offered," Yuki snapped. Despite the harsh words, Shuichi could see the glimmer of concern in the other man's eyes. "My appartment is big, and I live there alone. Besides, it's only a few blocks from here."

Well it _was_ cold…

"Okay. Thank you, Yuki-san," Shuichi said softly, with a thankful smile. Yuki felt the world stopped spinning with the beauty of that smile, and would do anything to have it directed at him again.

"It's not that big of a deal," Yuki muttered. "Come on. It's not that far."

Shuichi followed the novelist out of the park and padded beside him sleepily for the three blocks it was to his house. Normally he be asking a million questions but he was too tired and cold to think properly. When they arrived, Shuichi let his mouth hang open. It was very glamorous, especially compared to the run-down townhouse he and his aunt had shared in LA. _Well, from what I hear he is a celebrity here,_ he reminded himself.

"You have a very nice house," he told his host.

"Thank you," the novelist murmured before letting the vocalist in. "There's an empty bedroom down the hall from mine," he showed Shuichi what he was talking about. "It's made up already so you can go ahead in." The pink-haired man was already half-asleep, so he nodded in acquiescence.

"Thank you, Yuki-san," he said, standing on tip-toe to kiss the other man on the cheek before padding off to bed.

Yuki stood staring after him, touching his cheek lightly. None of his lovers had ever kissed him so sweetly, much less on the cheek. _I want him. Badly._

SYS

_Cute, n'est-ce-pas? r/r, darlings ;) Thank you Ashley for editing the cultural mistakes!_


End file.
